The Rukongai
by blackwings717
Summary: The ground was cold and hard against his chest as he lay on his stomach, blood seeping through the clothes Ayako had given him. His cheek felt numb as snow began to fall around him, preparing for his frozen funeral. But he just wanted to see Sumiko...


**The Rukongai**

**Okay, first of all, I don't own Bleach, nor do I own any of the characters who might be mentioned in this little story, Tite Kubo does.**

**And second, I made up the two main characters in this story. They're just two Rukongai, or Rukon District, children.**

**Here's the basic overview of my story:**

**I have no idea how long I'll make this, if it'll three chapters, or two-hundred chapters, right now it's just an **_**experiment**_**. This is about a Rukongai boy who was taken by an unexpected hollow (sorry if that never happens, I'm just letting my imagination run). He is saved by a soul reaper, Ayako Takahashi, who takes him in. She does this for another child before the other boy. Things take a turn for the wicked as the two Rukon District children grow older and develop feelings of something… **_**more**_** than friendship. **

**Before you, my dear reader, actually **_**begin**_** to read, you should know that this is a fic rated 'M' for mature, **_***cough* as in lemony-goodness *cough***_**. So you know, if you're not into that, just stop here and turn around. I am **_**such**_** a perv… **

**ON TO THE STORY! x3**

Chapter 1: Farther Back In the Rukongai

The ground was cold and hard against the boy's chest as he lay on his stomach, blood seeping through the clothes Miss Ayako had given him. His cheek felt numb as snow began to fall around him, preparing for his frozen funeral.

The young man longed for the warmth he had grown so fond of at Miss Ayako's… not to mention _that _girl's warm arms around him, her halo-blonde hair tickling his face whenever she hugged him. To think… that was only two days ago.

_~two weeks ago~_

"Are you hungry?" The women said, her hand reaching up to tuck a lock of red hair behind her ear. Her skin pale in the dim light of the few lanterns and candles that were placed around the spacious living area of the palace like home. Ayako Takahashi's home, to be precise.

When the boy didn't reply, Ayako looked up to see him leaning against the wall to her left, gazing out the open screen door, watching the clouds that lazily crossed over the moon, the grass that blew in the midnight breeze, the shadows that danced around across the lawn.

"Come now," Ayako said, hastily ushering the young boy towards the small kitchen, "you must be hungry. You probably weren't fed well in the Rukon District, considering how far back you lived. Come on, come on!"

The ebony haired boy scowled, "Let _go_ of me you old_ hag_…" though his voice was faint, Ayako still heard him. Offended by it.

"Shut up you ungrateful brat," she retorted, slapping him in the back of his head.

~ 3 ~

After stuffing him through and through, Ayako frowned, not having warmed up the young Rukon boy yet.

She watched as his eyes flitted around the room, never meeting hers. "You know…" Ayako said, concern lacing her voice, "there's no reason for you to be so uneasy. This is a safe place,"

The boy stopped, his eyes coming up to meet hers, "Is it? Is it really?" his brows furrowing at her words, "Because I was taught not to trust you _soul reapers_. That you took innocent lives to get your way. That's why I don't really feel… _safe_ here,"

Ayako was surprised by his words, by the broken look in his icy eyes. She was speechless to the point of discomfort. But when she finally broke the silence, her voice was calm, effortlessly changing the subject. "Well now. I'll have to change your mind. Now, _little boy_, let's just see where you'll be staying from now on, shall we?"

The "little boy" was dumbstruck by her words, "I'll be staying here?"

"Of course," Ayako stood, taking the boys hand and going back into the spacious living area. She continued on, stepping out through the wooden screen door into the brisk night air.

"Why can't I just go back to the Rukongai?"

Ayako stopped, the boy nearly crashing into the tall woman. "Where are my manners!" she exclaimed, turning to hold both of the boys hands, "My name is Ayako Takahashi! I am, well… _my_ age isn't important. What's your name? And how old were you when you came to the Soul Society?"

He blinked, her question surprising him, "It's… um…"

"Yes?" Ayako urged, smiling slightly.

"It's Koishi Hayashi," Koishi pulled one hand away, scratching the back of his head awkwardly, "and I died at seventeen,"

"Oh! What a wonderful name! And seventeen? So young! Okay, now back to business, _Koishi_," Ayako exclaimed, giggling when she said his name.

They continued on, the moon following quietly, bathing them in a pale glow. When they finally came to a stop, Koishi realized that they were at the very end of Ayako's large home, a quiet corner, time seeming to still around the two. "So, Koishi, You'll be staying here," her hand reached out to slide open the door.

It took a second for Koishi to process everything he saw. They stood in the doorway to a room almost as large as the room they had previously occupied. It had an open closet built into the wall, a large table in the corner that reached from one wall to the one across, pillows put aside for future use, a futon for two laying in the middle, the sheets looking far too nice to sleep in. But despite all the amazing features, it lacked personality, it had no clothes in the closet, had no pictures on the walls, nothing.

"I'm staying here…?" Koishi breathed, stepping into the moonlit room, walking over to the table and lighting the candle. "but… why?"

Ayako smiled, sitting on the fancy futon., "Well, Koishi, that's simple. You came from the farther districts in the Rukongai, District sixty-four, am I right?"

"Sixty-seven," Koishi corrected, his voice calm.

"Even farther back!" Ayako exclaimed, "You were left in the slums, so far back that riots often broke out over food. I know, for a fact, that your parents were killed by a soul reaper while he was trying to bring order because they had killed so many others over a small amount of food, and were preparing to kill more. Am I right?"

Unfazed by her words, Koishi nodded, "Yes, you are," Koishi still stood in the doorway, barely a step in. He decided he was more comfortable standing than anywhere else right now.

"Well I wanted to take you away from that," Ayako yawned, patting her mouth, "and you'd make _such_ nice company…"

"Why?" Koishi asked, "Do you get lonely?"

The red haired women laughed, "No, silly! You won't be _my_ company! You'll be Sumiko's!"

"Sumiko?" Koishi repeated quietly, the name echoing in his mind.

"Yes¾! Oh, gosh…" Ayako frowned, "I completely forgot to give her dinner… though, she refuses to eat it. She doesn't trust soul reapers either,"

The news sparked Koishi's curiosity, he wanted to meet this _Sumiko_ as soon as possible. Someone from the outside, "I could talk to her," Koishi offered, "bring her dinner,"

Ayako rejoiced, happy that Koishi was eager to meet his soon-to-be best friend.

_~ 3 ~_

Koishi stood there, one hand holding a tray of food, the other reaching out to tap on the wooden screen.

After a few seconds of silence, Koishi became impatient, he was never one to wait very long, so he slid the door open with so much force it shuddered as though it would break.

He looked around the dark room, sighing mightily. He stepped in, slamming the screen shut behind him. After a quick glance around the room, it seemed as though this _Sumiko _wasn't present. But Koishi knew better.

He set the tray down on the table, this room identical to his own, lacking personality and all. He took his time lighting the lanterns around the room, walking slowly, careful not to scare the girl.

"So," Koishi said, sitting down on the futon, again, identical to his, "Why don't you come out of the closet and eat?"

Koishi knew that Sumiko had been hiding in the crevasse of the closet, in the shadows that no longer existed thanks to the lanterns.

She crawled out, inch by inch. A distrustful look upon her face.

Koishi watched, his face not revealing his utter shock. She was beautiful, the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on. Her halo-blonde hair falling in her beautiful face, big blue eyes glowing in the dim light. She was his obvious opposite, her hair almost white compared to his midnight colored hair, her eyes like blue ice as they met his own very different flame red eyes.

"Who are you…? Why did you bring me my food?" She whispered, her voice making his heart flutter. His face expression remaining indifferent.

Koishi glanced at the tray he had brought her, eyes roaming over the neglected food that lay beside it. She really _hadn't_ been eating. "My name is Koishi Hayashi. I guess I'll be living here now, I came from the Rukongai, it's nice to meet you Sumiko,"

The girl's eyes widened, not only was she surprised by the news of a man from the Rukon District coming to live here, but the man knew her name! He was, not to mention, incredibly handsome. His hair, black as pitch, hung in his red eyes, his pale face shadowed by the light of the lanterns. "Did Ayako-sama tell you my name?" She asked.

"Yes," Koishi told her, "but I thought you resented soul reapers, why do you call Ayako, Ayako-_sama_?"

"Because she's different,"

"Yet you still refuse to eat," Toshio stood, retrieving the tray from the table and returning to his beauty. But he stopped, pondering that. _She doesn't __**belong**_ _to me._ He thought regretfully.

He grabbed the first thing his finger touched, lifting it up to her mouth. "Come on, you have to eat _something_,"

Sumiko's eyes grew impossibly wider, her cheeks flushing a rosy color, "W-What?" She gasped.

"Come on," he mumbled, his other hand reaching up to touch her cheek. He smiled slightly, before pulling away, his hand dropping to touch her own.

"If you don't eat," he warned, setting the food in her palm, "I'll force it down your throat." His voice was almost cheerful as he threatened the girl, his smile a bit forced as his eyes slit shut.

Once they opened again, Koishi saw that she was just finishing swallowing the food he had placed in her palm. "Good," he said, allowing his head to rest against the pillow that was set on her large futon. "See? That wasn't so hard. Miss Ayako will be pleased. So… how's she different? She _may_ be nice, but she's a soul reaper, wielding a zonpakto,"

He glanced up at her, surprised to find that she had a warm smile on her face. "Well…" the halo haired girl began, "Ayako-sama basically saved my life… this hallow… a horrible, horrible, sadistic, hallow… Ayako-sama managed to make it in time, but the hallow escaped…"

But Koishi suddenly cut her off, gripping her shoulder as he keeled over. His nails dug into her shoulder and Sumiko cried out, her eyes going wide as she felt blood trickle down the wound Koishi's nails had caused.

Koishi couldn't speak, couldn't breath. _Not now!_ he thought, remembering the pain he had felt not so long ago. _Please…! Not now!_

~ 3 ~

**Err, I guess this is a cliffhanger! Alright! Well, I tried, at least!**

**OKAY! Well I hope I can post everything more often. ;D haha**

With All Due Respect,

Black Wings


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